Contents

Understand

Old housing around kasbah

Ouarzazate is relatively small (~60 000 inhabitans) and for Morocco quiet town, built mostly along main street - Avenue Muhammed V. Ouarzazate is situated at an elevation of 1,135 metres. Its name comes from a Berber phrase meaning "without noise" or "without confusion". Once in its history, Ouarzazate had been crossing point for African traders seeking to reach northern cities in Morocco and Europe. During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town and administrative centre. It is largest town in saharan Morocco.

Get in

Buses from:

Inezgane(close to Agadir) twice a day, 120 dirhams, fixed price with CTM and a similar price with Supratours.

As at 12th April 2009, the morning CTM bus from Inezgane departs at 09:30hrs.

Marrakesh - There are three CTM buses a day (80 dirham), along with three local buses (also 80 dirham). You can also reserve a place in a grand taxi for around 100 per person.

Plane:
Often two flights a day during the week from Casablanca, occasional flights to Agadir and other cities.

Get around

The area around Mohammad V is very walkable. The CTM station is there as well. Petits taxis for within the city (no more than 10Dh from the airport to the hotel), grands taxis for between cities (no more than 150Dh to Ait Benhaddou and back...though you can probably get it lower), including to Ait Benhaddou and surrounding Kasbahs.

Don't be surprised if during a local taxi ride the driver requests you to "transfer taxis" or has "a friend to pick up on the way." When this happens, a friendly English (or other language) speaking person will start pitching you outings, most of them to Erg Chebbi near Merzouga or Zagora. If you are not interested, just politely tell them so, but if you are, you can negotiate a reasonable price with them.

Ouarzazate is very safe, but don't wander into weird corners at night. Crime throughout the Moroccan south is minimal, but its best not to take (too many) chances.

Car rental

See

Kasbah Taourirt in Ourzazate

Egyptan decoration at Atlas Studios

Ait Benhaddou - one of the best preserved Kasbahs. It has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Taxi can take you to Ait Benhaddou for 300 dirhams, however you can haggle (we managed to get to 220 after some serious effort), driver will wait couple of hours. Very picturesque place, lots of movies were shot there (Gladiator). 10 dirham to visit kasbahs. You don't need a guide, but locals will follow you pretending to help and at the end will ask for money. Be careful not to get too wet from the river when crossing it, since there's been reports of Schistosomiasis contracted from the water.

Walk along the central square behind Muhammad V at night when everyone comes out. The kids go out to play football on the square, people go eat and socialize, and you'll get a feel for the community just walking around.

Go to Atlas Studios. It lies about ~ 4km from town center. Entrance ticket is 50 dirhams. Films such as Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, The Man Who Would Be King, Cleopatra, Kundun, Gladiator and Alexander, Kingdom of Heaven and Babel were shot there. Most of movie decorations are a bit crumbled, but Egyptian decorations are still impressive but in very poor condition, left to rot unfortunately, a shame.

Plan an expedition out to M'Hamid. A night in the Sahara is unforgettable and can be the best part of your Moroccan adventure. Ourzazate is the last big town in the south where this is easy and cheap to do. There are lots of agencies around that can arrange a trek like this, though this is the more expensive way to do it. A cheaper way, if you don't mind worrying about a few details, is to rent a car, go out there yourself, and negotiate an overnight in the desert with a Merzougan auberge (most of them offer overnights in the desert). Renting a car and driving the way is relatively easy if you drive a stick. The roads out that way are very good and easy to navigate. The overnight in the Dunes should only cost about 300-400Dh. A grand taxi will also take you out that way and back for 150-200Dh. Everything out here is negotiable, so shop around for the best price. Local agencies also offer trips to mountain valley of Dades.

Be prepared to negotiate hard otherwise they will rip you off!

CLA Studios. CLA Studios aka Dino de Laurentis Cinecitta Studios, is along the same road as Atlas Studios about a kilometer closer to Marrakech. If you can go to only one of the two studios, this is the one to go to. The Atlas Studios tour is mosly TV movies and The Mummy Returns remake. The sets are unconvincing. CLA, on the other hand, has the Jerusalem set from "Kingdom of Heaven," which looks authentic, and a host of great props.100Dh.

Make a half-day trip to beautiful Oasis de Fint. A small paradise of vegetation in the midst of the dry hills surrounding Ouazarzate. Cross the river into Tabount, then take the road direction Agadir. After ca. 1 km there is a signpost, from here it is ca. 10km by mostly unpaved roads. At the Oasis there is a auberge with restaurant. You can get there by car, taxi or rent a bike in Tabount.

Tours

Caravane de reve, M'Hamid Centre (oposite of the mosque,), ☎+212 670020033, [2]. Do you feel like exploring Chegaga, the stunning sand dunes? No Problem, we pick you up in Ouarzazate, or you make an extra tour to M'Hamid! We are a family-run, friendly, experienced and licensed desert travel business, providing work for local people. We offer different types of desert tours, like 4x4 excursions, walking tours, camel treks, bivouac camps and sandboarding - short and long duration. Apart from trips and stays in the local area and to erg Chegaga also bigger Morocco tours are on the board, all according to the budget and the clients requirements. Spoken languages are Arabic, English, French and Spanish. Cuisine and the experience of home visits for food & tea time are included.

Travel Exploration Morocco, 4 Lot El Hassania La Resistance, ☎212-66148996 (alecia@travel-exploration.com), [3]. A Ouarzazate based travel agency that offers a variety of 4x4 Circuits to the Sahara Desert. 5% of all proceeds are donated to assist families in Berber villages

Do

Travels Morocco (Excursions & Tours around Morocco), B.P 701 Ouarzazate 45000, ☎00212 (0) 6 62 38 50 95, [4]. You are welcome to Morocco, Travels Morocco is a small local tour and transportation company based in the south of Morocco, with office in Ouarzazate.We offers custom tours that highlight the best of Morocco..

Road Junky Retreat, ☎0623035315 (tom@roadjunkyretreat.com), [5]. January 18 - 22 Join with 20+ travelers to make music, meditate and share travel stories under the full moon in the dunes!

Ouarzazate xplorer (agenc ede voyage maroc ouarzazate, travel agency morocco), ouarzazatexplorer@gmail.com, ☎+212670719027, [6]. 24. expeditions to the heart of the desert of the south of Morocco, and to the mountains of the Atlas and the gorges of Toudgha and Dades with their canyons. camel rides and bivouac nights. Camel meharees.

Transport Tifinagh (Transport Tifinagh), N° 06, Rue Mansour Eddahbi, ☎00212 (0) 524 88 64 51, [7]. Tifinagh Transport is a Tour Operator settled in the city of Ouarzazate, south Morocco. This company promises to provide an excellent service to its customers.

Top Morocco tours (Morocco tours), N° 18, Bd Med V, ☎00212 (0) 662 405 579, [8]. Top Morocco tours is a Tour Operator based in the city of Ouarzazate, orgnize tours and trips in south of Morocco.

Buy

Whatever you buy, it is likely you won't find it cheaper in Marrakech or Fes. Realize everything is negotiable! In Ouarzazate, there is souk, some local stores. At the towns center, there two western like shops with fixed (but pretty high) prices, but at these you can by alcohol including judeo-berber vodka and local wine.

Eat

Plenty of cheap restaurants along Mohammad V street and in central square near market. Normal price for tagine should be about 30Dh.

Drink

Bottled water is cheap (5Dh) and widely available.

Sleep

Plenty of hotels of all ranges around town. Ask a cabby to bring you to one, but realize he'll pocket commission for bringing you there.

La Gazelle. Clean, cheap hotel, safe parking in the courtyard, ATM just next door, bakery across the road.156Dhm double room with hot shower.

Zaghro Hotel, 1.5 km sur la route de zagora, tabounte Ouarzazate, Ouarzazate, Morocco (From the airport or bus station you have to take a taxi (50 MAD/€5 during daytime or 100 MAD/€10 at night. At anytime you can have the hotel car to bring you to the hotel just call), ☎+212 524 85 41 35 (hotelrestaurantzaghro@yahoo.fr). It is located a bit far from the village but is neat and clean, has a restaurant and a pool to enjoy after some time in the desert.€7 to €20 per person with breakfast included. (30.909775,-6.907528)

Nearby

Dar Ahlam is a spectacular 10-room hotel in Skoura, about 40 km from Ouarzazate. It is expensive, but distinctive in every element: architecture, style, service, and food. Possibly the best hotel in Morocco. Ask to stay in one of the villas.

I Roccha (Irocha), Tiseldey/Tisselday, [12]. Extremely friendly hosts and international mix of travellers. Quiet and relaxing place overseeing a valley in a small village of Tisselday. For New Year holidays, normally confirms booking only for those who visited previously (and hosts liked them).

Riad Ksar Ighnda (Ksar Ighnda), Douar Asfalou - Amerzane, ☎00 212 (0)5 24 88 76 44 (contact@ighnda.net, fax: 00 212 (0)5 24 88 76 44), [13]. On the edge of the desert, the Riad Ksar Ighnda opens its doors for you onto the Atlas Mountains. In an authentic yet modern setting, our hotel blends in with the environment. Our guests do not arrive at KSAR IGHNDA by chance but they long to return here.~100-240€. (31.066150154853492,-7.143001556396484)

Get out

Drive further through Zagora to M'Hamid for trips in the desert by camels, 4x4 or quad bikes.

There is a bus line which runs from Ouarzazate to Er Rachida, a mid-sized administrative town which can be a good launching pad for Merzouga and the desert, note that on this line touts will join the bus at stops along the way and try to lever you into going on a 'discounted' desert tour. They are persistant and will ask you about yourself. Claiming to be a 'veteran' of Saharan travel (perhaps more convincing if you can speak French) and already booked into a hotel at your destination may help convince them to let you be.